Stalked in the Hours of Darkness
by An-Jelly-Ca
Summary: I see you Frank. And I know what you're thinking. I notice, I see, I watch. I see you, Frank Hardy. I've been watching you... Chapter 17 up! Complete!
1. From Bad to Worse

Frank Hardy was having a crappy day. There was no other way to put it. He had stayed up late last night working on a project, and forgotten to set an alarm. He overslept and of course Joe couldn't wake up for school so they were both late. When he got out to the car he discovered that they had gotten a ticket for parking on the street, but of course he would have to pay it because Joe never had any money. They got to school fifteen minutes late. His first class was Oral and Written Expression and his teacher had been assigning essay topics, and as a result of his lateness he got stuck with the Privatization of Water as his essay. By second period he'd developed a headache and was pondering whether it would hurt less if he simply took a hammer to his forehead.

By the time third period Calculus rolled around he was on the verge of killing someone. He arrived in class just in time to discover that they were going to have a pop quiz that day, which lucky him, happened to be on material they had learned when he'd been in the hospital after his latest kidnapping. Frank experienced momentary relief when the bell rang signifying the end of third period rang, but then he realized that this just meant he got to go to Spanish where there teacher was forcing them to perform the stupidest skit ever. Not to mention the fact that he didn't even know what his lines meant. Frank made it through the skit but he did manage to forget all of his lines causing him to have to read directly off a sheet of paper which he was sure would result in his getting a lower grade.

He'd never been happier that it was lunch time, his headache had developed into a full scale migraine and at least he could just rest during lunch time. Frank made it to lunch only to find out that they had scheduled a student council meeting which he as president of the Junior Class would have to attend. The meeting consisted of listening to some school administrator rant about how student council wasn't raising enough funds and if they didn't raise more money soon the administration would cancel the spring dance. This caused about half the student council to start screaming; serving only to increase the throbbing in his head.

He arrived in sixth period AP Human Geography only to find out that his teacher was not only in Mexico but had also left them with an essay from the 2004 AP exam which talked about bid-rent. No one in the class even knew what the hell bid-rent was. They asked the sub and she said that she didn't know and just to guess. Great that was helpful. He finished it making up crap about how the people in city X had less money then the people in city Y which is why city X had a greater population that lived in low rent housing. Now he got to go to gym and ride eight miles on a bike on level thirteen. Fun, right?

At least he had computers next there was no way anything bad could happen to him in that class, right? The nagging feeling in the back of his head told him that his day would only get worse from here but he ignored it and sat down at his usual computer in the third row forth seat in. The teacher told everyone to do the assignment on page sixty-seven of their book and then sat down at his desk and read the newspaper while they worked. Frank logged in to his account and looked idly out the window while it loaded. Thirty minutes later his computer still wouldn't log in. There was definitely no way he'd be finishing his assignment today. His suspicions were confirmed when the bell rang five minutes later. Frank sighed and headed wearily to his locker. He twisted the combo and opened the door an envelope fell out. Frank glanced at it suspiciously but picked it up and read the front. _Frank Hardy _it read. Frank shrugged to himself and opened the envelope managing to give himself a paper cut in the process.

_I've been watching you, Frank. And I know you. Better then you could ever imagine. I've been watching your, Frank Hardy... _

Frank paled as he read the note. He swallowed and told himself it was just a joke, a harmless prank, not a real threat. Frank hurriedly shoved the books he would need for his homework that night into his backpack and slammed his locker shut hurrying out to the car where Joe was waiting.

"Hey, Frank." Joe said when Frank got into the passenger seat.

"Hey."

"How was your day?"

"Great." Frank lied. "Do anything interesting?" He asked directing the discussion away from himself.

"No. Same old wonderful day." Joe said with a wry smile as he pulled their van out of the school parking lot.

**A few hours later…**

Frank frowned he was certain that he'd brought his math book home but it was nowhere to be seen. Frank decided that he must have left it at school and headed out of the house. Joe had the van; he was out with Iola for the night. So, Frank would have to walk to school, not that he minded…much. Compared to the way the rest of his day had gone walking to school was no big deal; at least not yet. Frank walked slowly down the block toward Bayport High. It was already eight o'clock and dark. Frank glanced behind him apprehensively as he heard a crunching noise. Seeing nothing he turned the corner onto the next street he was only five minutes from school. Frank was sure he heard soft footfalls on the cement behind him but when he turned to look once again there was no one. Frank pushed down the growing feeling of apprehension in his gut and sighed in relief when he reached the school. He pulled open the door and headed quickly inside. The school was practically deserted most people had gone home from their activities by now. The lights in the hallways were dimmer then usual and the lighting seemed to cast an odd glow on the floor. Frank headed to his locker hallway and quickly put in the combo. He could have sworn he heard a click sound such as the sound made by the heel of a shoe on linoleum and yet the hallway was empty. Just Frank and his math book which he had retrieved. Frank headed swiftly out of the school and down the street towards home; dimly aware of the sounds of a camera being clicked and footsteps falling into step behind him. Frank ignored the rapidly mounting sense of unease he was experiencing and kept walking toward home. He couldn't help feeling relieved when he reached his house. Frank hurriedly unlocked the door and headed inside and up to his room. He would just do his math homework. Frank sat down at his desk and opened his book to the problem's his teacher had assigned. To his dismay he found another envelope addressed to him; sighing apprehensively he opened it.

_I see you Frank. And I know what you're thinking. I notice, I see, I watch. I see you, Frank Hardy._


	2. On Being a Realist

**A/N Thanks for all the reviews people! Sorry about the wait!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing! Isn't that thrilling? lol.**

Frank paled as he read the note, but told himself that it was all a joke. Just a prank, not a very funny prank, but still, not a big deal, everything was all right; there was no need for him to panic. Frank let out the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding and shoved both notes into the top drawer of his desk. Feeling the migraine throb mercilessly at his skull Frank rubbed his eyes and decided he would just go to bed. Everything would seem better in the morning, and the events of this past day would seem laughable.

At least that's what Frank told himself, he had always liked to lie to himself. You could tell yourself that something wasn't bad, that it wouldn't get worse, that you were blowing it all out of proportion. But Frank like most other people knew it was a lie, while he could lie to himself, he did all the time, he seldom actually believed what he was saying. But he said it anyways because although the words rang hollow they brought a shallow kind of comfort. They held the panic and the terror back and most importantly they deluded the real issue. So Frank went to bed pushing away his horror filled thoughts and closing his eyes falling into the black abyss of his dreams.

Frank woke up with a start for the third time that night. He'd been having weird dreams all night; he wouldn't call them nightmares, because that would vindicate them; giving the dream some kind of power over him. They weren't particularly gory or anything, it was just dark but he had this constant sensation of eyes staring, just staring, unblinkingly, ceaselessly staring. And sometimes he'd hear a whispered voice hissing things, he couldn't make out the words but they had sent chills down his spine. Frank rubbed at his forehead and looked around the room wearily nothing seemed disturbed everything was fine, it was all just a dream, but there was something so real about it. Frank pushed these unwanted thoughts to the back of his head and got out of bed; there was no point in trying to sleep now, it wasn't as though he'd be able to.

**Somewhere Else…**

_He's getting nervous. Soon, it will be time. Very soon. Mr. Hardy will join me, he thinks that he is invincible, believes that this is just a prank, but young Mr. Hardy has made a fatal error, he has underestimated me. But soon he will know terror, and he will know pain. Soon he will enter hell, and he will beg for death, he will plead, but death will not come for him so easily. For death does not welcome Frank Hardy, he is chosen, and he will live despite his requests to the contrary. He has been selected, and these few elite shall feel the pain of the Earth, and they shall suffer for it. For as long as the Earth is wronged they will be wronged. And it is my solemn duty as the Enforcer to ensure that he follows in his duties, he owes the Earth this, and he shall pay his dues, willingly or not, Frank Hardy will pay. _

**Back to Frank…**

It was four in the morning, far too early to be awake, but too late to attempt falling asleep. Frank sighed and yawned as he set about making coffee. He thanked whatever deity it was that had saw fit to create such a lifesaving liquid. Frank listened to the sounds of wondrously black coffee hitting the inside of the pot and prayed that today would be better. It was unlikely that it could be worse then the one preceding it, but Frank wasn't willing to jinx it, for if he had learned one thing in his years of detective work, and observing his Father, things could always get worse. Of course by the same token they could get better as well, but it seemed that far more often your luck would plummet and your life would worsen. Frank wasn't a pessimist despite what Joe said to the contrary, he was simply a realist. He didn't delude himself with false images of good triumphing over evil and happy endings; Frank Hardy was nothing if not practical, and any practical person knew that things could and would always get worse. Sometimes even the most realistic people wish that they could deny the truths they say right before their eyes; but as is their curse, they cannot, and they will not. Frank wished that he could join his brother as he chanted his cheerful mantra of perfect conclusions and light prevailing over dark; but he couldn't, Frank was too practical, too realistic, and too logical to delude himself in such a manner. However as he saw a piece of paper slide under the kitchen door he wished he weren't such a realist. Frank felt his stomach tie itself in knots as he picked up the note which was addressed just like all the others. Against his better judgment Frank ripped open the envelope and unfolded the single piece if paper inside it.

_Feeling nervous, Mr. Hardy? I think so. I can see it, it's written on your face as you stand there in your kitchen making coffee. I've been watching. And I've been waiting. Be ready, Mr. Hardy, I'm coming for you. _

_**A/N Review!**_


	3. Fatal Errors

**A/N...I think my quote about sums it all up...lol...**

**"I truly believe that all deadlines are unreasonable regardless of the  
amount of time given." – Procrastinators Creed**

**Disclaimer: I don't own them...I'm just borrowing them to torment for a little bit.**

Frank gripped the counter his knuckles turning white as he struggled to maintain his grip on reality. At this point he knew he should go to his Father, tell him what was happening; get help. Frank knew these things but he couldn't bring himself to tell anyone about the notes. It wasn't as though someone had actually attacked him, it was more then likely that this was just some kind of childish prank. Psychopaths do not just wander around sliding notes under doors. Okay, so there he went lying to himself again. Frank was well aware of the fact that this more then likely was no joke, and he was positive that whoever had written the notes was not sane. Not even in the slightest. But, Frank reasoned, it was four in the morning and far too early to attempt to make a decision regarding this fiasco. So, he decided that he could always talk to his Dad later. With this decided Frank headed upstairs and put the paper with the others.

**Somewhere Else…**

_It is almost time; in a fortnight the boy will join me. He will assume his rightful place in the world. He shall restore balance; for although he has not chosen his path he will follow it. __**They**__ hath commandeth that the boy is integrated into the Earth so that he can recall the nefarious deeds which have been done by the lesser ones. The boy is chosen and he will fulfill his duty, he shall join the Earth, he will bleed for its pain. It is his obligation to fulfill this duty, it is a solemn one but this is the path __**They**__ hath commanded he follow._

**Frank and Joe…a few hours later…**

"You're up early, Sweetie." Laura commented coming into the kitchen at ten past six in the morning.

"Couldn't sleep." Frank responded. "Joe's snoring kept me up." He lied before she could question him further. Laura nodded and poured herself a cup of coffee glancing at the clock.

"Frank…?" Laura said looking at her son with a pleading yet stubborn expression silently asking him to go wake his brother up. Frank sighed heavily and nodded his consent heading up the stairs toward imminent doom.

Laura grinned at her son over her coffee mug and Frank let out another long suffering sigh. He walked into his brother's room taking in the sight of his brother spread across his bed; limbs flailing all over. In fact if Frank simply pulled on the right edge of the blanket his brother would land on the ground. Frank grinned evilly and snuck up around his brother's bed to his alarm clock. Frank turned the volume as loud as it would go and turned it on. Joe yelped when it came on and Frank gave a hard tug just as Joe jumped up; as a result Joe ended up on the floor with a blanket on his head. Frank promptly ran out of the room and down the stairs his brother chasing after him swearing loudly.

"Joseph David Hardy." Laura said sternly when Joe raced into the kitchen yelling threats at the top of his lungs. Frank stuck his tongue out at his younger brother from where he stood with the counter separating them. Joe sent his brother a look which clearly said you-are-so-lucky-Mom-is-here-or-I-would-kill-you. Frank smirked at his brother and Joe glared before heading back up the stairs to get ready for school. Laura shook her head at her sons returning to her coffee.

**A/N Review...and I will update...don't and I will not...The button likes to be pushed...it gets lonely when left alone...lol**


	4. Let The Games Begin

**A/N I'm in Florida!!! lol! YAY! **

**Thanks to All Reviewers!**

**Disclaimer: Angelica does not own the Hardys. She tried to purchase them on ebay but they were not for sale. So then she cried and was only reconciled with the thought that she could control them through fanfiction.**

"Frank? Hello? Are you even _listening_ to me?" Joe asked in exasperation when his brother didn't answer him after five minutes of attempting to get his attention.

"What'd you say?" Frank asked, looking up and blinking at his brother. Joe rolled his eyes, and started to respond, when he decided that it wouldn't be worth it to repeat himself.

"Never mind," Joe muttered, turning back to Vanessa who was sitting on his other side. Frank shrugged absently and returned to drumming his fingers against the pseudo wood surface of the cafeteria table. He didn't even notice when Joe and Callie got in a fight even though the two of them were sitting on either side of him.

Joe glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye as he continued to argue with Callie. Joe found it to be extremely out of character for his brother not to be yelling at Callie and him to stop fighting. Not that Joe was complaining, he had no desire to be lectured, but still…

Frank shook himself from his thoughts when the bell rang. Noticing that Joe looked like he wanted to question him more, Frank grabbed his books and threw out his less then half eaten lunch fleeing the cafeteria before Joe had a chance to question his odd behavior anymore then he already had.

Joe looked after his fleeing brother, and shook his head, looking puzzled. He shrugged off the feeling of unease that was rapidly settling in his gut and grabbed his books off the table. Turning his attention back toward Vanessa who was recounting some story about her, Frank's and Phil's Advanced Computer Knowledge teacher.

Joe tuned her out after it occurred to him that he had already heard the story from Frank earlier in the week. Joe fought back a growing urge to roll his eyes, those three were _always_ raving about that teacher. On a personal level Joe found computers to be boring, and frankly he hated them. They never seemed to cooperate with him, and the only feelings he felt toward the devices had manifested themselves in the form of a growing need to take a sledgehammer to his own computer, which never actually did what he wanted it to. It definitely hated him. Regardless of what Frank and Vanessa said to the contrary. To quote one of them Joe couldn't recall which _"The machine is not flawed ninety-nine point nine six five three percent of the time mistakes are brought on by user error." _

But Joe was disinclined to believe his brother and girlfriend, he was pretty sure that teacher of theirs taught them to say that, it was probably in the syllabus.

Frank headed to his human geography class in a state of confusion. He couldn't seem to focus on anything relating to his school work something kept nagging at the back of his head.

He felt like he knew something more about the notes, almost like he knew who was writing them, there was a familiar quality in them. He hadn't picked up on it at first but now, after calming down, he could analyze the notes logically. And having done so he had picked up on an air of familiarity in the text of the letters. He couldn't quite put his finger on exactly what it was about the messages that stuck out to him, but he knew it was there. Frank was positive that the key to figuring out who was writing the notes was right in front of him, he could practically see the answer…

Joe slumped down in his seat as his teacher blathered on about something Joe found to be utterly nonsensical. He was currently in Algebra which happened to be one of his least favorite classes. No matter what his teacher told him he would not concede to its uses. He knew how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. What more did he really need?

Unless he planned to become a high school math teacher after he graduated there was really no point in forcing him to sit through the class. His teacher was currently talking about simplifying radicals. But they really didn't look simpler to Joe, take for example two over the fifth root of two squared, his teacher said that you had to multiply the equation by a multiple of the fifth root, making the entire problem simplify to the fifth root of two to the third; which really didn't seem much simpler.

But whatever. Joe was cursed to sit slumped in his seat staring with his eyes glazed over out the window as he considered all the infinitely more exciting things he could be doing at that moment rather then sitting in a desk listening to an explanation that never seemed to make any sense at all.

Frank headed to his locker as he exited the gymnasium of Bayport High intending to grab his notes for the computer program he was currently designing and head to his next class. In fact he was so intent on considering the possible impacts his project had the potential to launch that he had forgotten all about the notes; which is why he was not paying complete attention to his surroundings when a hand reached out from the utility closet and pulled him in. Frank was slammed against the painted cinderblock wall of the closet with an arm pressed against his throat.

"Hello, Frank." A voice growled softly. Frank squinted slightly trying to make out the person in front of him but it was pitch black in the small room. Frank twisted and tried to pull the arm away. The man chuckled lightly at his attempts and pressed harder. "Listen to me, very, very, carefully, Mr. Hardy. You've not been taking the warnings seriously, this is no joke. You must do as it has been ordered. There is no other way." The man said slipping a letter into Frank's pocket. Frank shuddered as the man touched him.

"I'll be back for you, Frank, _remember_ we're _watching_, and we know _every single_ move you make." With that said, the man grabbed Frank by his hair, with his free hand and slammed his skull into the cinderblock wall.

Frank saw stars and the world slid out of focus as the arm released him and he collapsed to the ground falling mercifully into unconsciousness. The man slipped out of the closet and into the hallway. The bell had already rung and his path was clear of wayward students. Chuckling to himself he locked the door to the closet and headed away. He had completed his task for now, Hardy had been warned, and the games had officially begun.

**A/N Review! And then I will update! **


	5. Where is He?

**A/N Helllllllllo, people, isn't it amazing how fast I updated? Lol. Okay so I was bribed…twice…by two people…but still…lol…**

**Thanks to All Reviewers!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own! ******

Vanessa smiled to herself when her teacher, Mr. Johansson, ran into the classroom a few minutes after the bell ran. His frequent lateness was a source of amusement for many of his students. Although as a result of it, he hardly ever marked anyone else tardy, making him one of the most popular teachers.

He flashed everyone in the room a quick smile as he scanned through the columns of computers quickly attempting to locate any missing students. He frowned to himself when he noticed Frank wasn't there. Frank almost never missed class unless he was kidnapped or in the hospital.

"Does anyone know where Frank is?" He asked as he knocked over a stack of papers in his quest to find the attendance sheet. "I could have sworn I saw him this morning…" Mr. Johansson added as an afterthought.

Vanessa frowned at this. She had just seen Frank at lunch and he had seemed fine then if only a bit on the quiet side. "Mr. Johansson?" Vanessa called raising her hand.

"Yes, Miss Bender?" He asked kneeling to pick up the papers.

"I just saw him at lunch, he's probably just running a bit late." Vanessa supplied. Her teacher nodded absently at her and agreed to give Frank a few more minutes before he marked him absent.

"Today as you know is a Wednesday which means you can all work independently on your projects for the competition next month, if you need help feel free to ask me." He directed.

Vanessa spent the entire class period trying and failing to maintain her focus on her project. She kept glancing at the door hoping that Frank would appear but he didn't show up. The fact that Frank Hardy had missed a class could only mean that something very bad had to have happened.

Frank never missed a class, no matter what. The only way he didn't go to class was if he were kidnapped, or if he was in the hospital. So, the fact that Franklin Matthew Hardy hadn't shown up for his favorite class, was practically a sign of the apocalypse. The day that Frank missed a class of his own free will would be the day you should start building a bomb shelter, because clearly disaster is upon you.

Thanks to Frank, Vanessa spent practically the entirety of the class wondering where her boyfriend's brother was. The only point during which she was not looking toward the door was when she snuck her cell phone out of her purse and text messaged Joe, telling him that his brother hadn't shown up for class, and she had asked if he was aware of this fact. Joe had been in gym class at the time, and had his cell in his gym locker and as a result didn't respond and therefore remained unaware of his seemingly missing brother.

**Later…**

Joe frowned when baseball practice started and his brother didn't show up. Frank was the starting pitcher on their team and their coach was a bit upset that his pitcher wasn't there especially with the big game they had coming up that weekend. Joe swallowed as the anxious feeling returned full force causing his stomach to churn. "Coach?"

"Yes, Hardy?" Coach Stevens growled in the direction of his shortstop.

"Er…Can I go um…look for Frank…" Joe asked cautiously. "You know in a very fast manner so that we can both uh get back to practice…" Joe continued trailing off as he took in the vein throbbing at his coach's temple.

"I. Suppose," Couch Stevens grit out between clenched teeth. "You have ten minutes to find out where your brother is or you're both staying after to run laps." He added as an afterthought.

"All right, thanks Coach!" Joe exclaimed flashing him a grin as he took off running back toward the school with his duffel bag in hand. Joe pulled his cell phone out of the bag as soon as he entered the main hallway and dialed Frank using his speed dial.

**Frank…**

Frank groaned quietly from his position on the cement floor of the utility closet. Regaining a semiconscious state, he opened his eyes, narrowing them in an attempt to ward off the throbbing in his head. He peered slowly at his surroundings trying to remember what had happened.

He let out a loud groan as it all came flooding back to the front of his mind. _The man…he hit him…told him he needed to listen to the warnings…he gave him a note…_Frank squeezed his eyes shut tight as the world split in two. _Damn. I don't think I'm going anywhere._ He thought somewhat bitterly as he lay on the cold floor of the closet.

Mustering up what little strength he could manage Frank hit the door of the closet with his fist; hoping that someone would hear it and come help him.

**Joe…**

Joe frowned when Frank's phone went straight to voicemail, meaning that Frank hadn't turned it on. Being the model student that he was, Frank almost never had his phone on during classes, and the fact that it was still off signified that his brother had never actually gotten back to his locker after classes that day. Joe glanced at the display on his phone and noticed that he had a new text message hoping that it was from Frank Joe opened his inbox. He sighed slightly disappointed that it wasn't Frank who had texted him, but still glad to hear from Vanessa. Joe read through the message and let out a muffled yell of frustration, Frank hadn't been in eighth period either.

Joe scowled at his phone, and chucked it back into his duffle bag, after glaring at it as thought it had mortally wounded him.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost didn't hear the pounding noise coming from the janitor's closet. Joe had been headed past it on his way to Frank's locker. Joe jiggled the handle cautiously but found it to be locked. "Hello…?" Joe called cautiously. He heard a muffled groan and he could have sworn he heard someone say his name.

"Frank?" Joe asked excitedly. He heard a pained yes in response. "Hold on, I'm going to get you out of there." Joe reassured his brother through the door. "I just need a lock pick." Joe muttered. "Hey wait, you have one in your locker…"

Joe murmured more to himself then his brother. He headed a few feet down the hallway to Frank's hallway and hurriedly spun the combination lock and yanked the latch up. Joe mentally thanked his brother for being so organized as he was able to immediately spot the pick set. He slammed the locker shut and hurried back to the utility closet. Joe knelt down in front of the door and worked the lock getting it open in under a minute. He reached up and pulled the hanging cord for the light flooding the small room with light.

Frank groaned and squeezed his eyes shut as tight as they would go as the offending light reached his eyelids. "Turn that off." He commanded with a groan.

"What happened? Joe asked not complying with the request as it interfered with his ability to examine his brother for injury.

"Someone hit me. Now. Turn. The. Light. Off." Frank commanded. Joe eyed his brother critically as he leaned over peering into Frank's face. Frank raised a hand in a feeble attempt to swat Joe away.

"You need to go to the hospital." Joe decided when he saw the gash on the back of his brother's head.

"Don't." Frank muttered. " 'M Fine." He added when Joe snorted in disbelief.

"Sure, whatever you say, Big Brother." Joe said with a laugh. "I'm calling an ambulance."

"Nooooo, Joe." Frank said. "You can't!"

"Quiet." Joe ordered already speaking to the operator. Frank tried to roll his eyes but ended up experiencing worse pain in his head so he quickly gave up and closed his eyes again intent upon going to sleep. "Stay awake." Joe ordered as soon as he glanced at his brother after hanging up the phone.

"Don't want to, so tired…" Frank muttered trailing off. Joe sighed and shook his shoulder lightly.

"Come on, Frank, just stay awake for a few minutes longer and then you can go to sleep, okay…?" Joe asked squeezing his brother's arm when Frank tried to go back to sleep.

"Tired…"

"No, stay awake; tell me about your computer project…" Joe said seizing upon Frank's program for the contest as a conversation topic in the hopes of keeping his brother conscious.

"Project…organizes…factors…crimes…" Frank muttered his explanation coming out as a string of words which made no sense. Joe nodded in the hopes he would keep talking. "Revolutionizes…scene…works…competition…" Frank continued. Joe sighed in relief when he spotted the EMTs heading toward them accompanied by his principal whom he had neglected to get.

"What happened here, Mr. Hardy?" Principal Campbell asked Joe as they loaded Frank onto the stretcher.

"I don't know; Frank wasn't at practice so I came looking for him when I passed the closet I heard a pounding sound, got the door open and found Frank." Joe explained breezing over the part where he picked the lock. The principal looked like he wanted to ask more when the medical technicians informed Joe that they needed to go. Joe flashed his principal a quick grin and promised to have his parents call him before following the EMTs out of the school and into the ambulance. Joe grabbed his brother's hand as they sat in the back of the ambulance. "You okay?" He asked softly watching his older brother with concern.

"Eh, I've been worse." Frank answered with a grin although his eyes remained closed. Joe allowed himself a small smile which quickly disappeared when his brother stopped speaking seemingly going unconscious or falling asleep; Joe wasn't sure which one. The rest of the ride was spent in relative silence. Joe was stuck in a reverie as he wondered what happened to his brother and Frank had slipped once more into darkness forgetting about the note he had been given for the second time that day. Before the day was over he would be unable to forget the words which had been inscribed upon the simple sheet of paper, but for the moment he was blissfully unaware of the dangers that awaited him.

The man grinned manically in the darkness of the dusty room. The games were finally beginning. They would be pleased. Finally the Earth which had wept in these troubled times would be healed when Frank Hardy paid the ultimate price.

The boy would learn the errors of the world he lived in. He would truly appreciate how the ways of people had brought the pain upon the Earth. And he would be sorry, yes, Frank Hardy, would be sorry for what he had done, for he was a part of it, they all were. But unlike most the boy would have a chance to repay his debt; the Earth would receive retribution for the sins of his people. The man knelt bowing his head not daring to raise his eyes to the stone alter in front of him.

"My son, have you warned the Chosen One." A black hooded man asked stepping out from behind the alter.

"Yes, I have, the games have begun, the boy will make the sacrifice, he is the one that has been prophesized!"

"Indeed, my son, he very much is the one for which we've waited for. Mr. Hardy will give the Earth her vengeance for the horrors they hath inflicted upon her fragile soils. It has been spoken and it will be done. The Chosen One must sacrifice his earthly being in the name of the Earth. And he will be glad to have done it for it is his most solemn duty." He informed the kneeling man as he reached down offering the man his hand. "Stand, my son, soon it shall be time, and we must plan, for the time of reckoning is upon us." The first man accepted his hand and was pulled to his feet.

"Of course, Father Mine, I will do as you wish, for it is my most sacred obligation and the path I have elected to follow for the sake of our dear Mother Earth." He said with a bow to the alter. The second man followed eyeing the figurine which sat upon it with reverence.

"Do not fear, Mother, for you shall have your vengeance. We shall make sure of it. The Chosen One has been located and he will fulfill his destiny, for as it has been seen, shall it be done." Finishing his prayer the man turned on his heel his robes billowing around him. The first man followed in his wake after giving the alter a final look of admiration.

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	6. Attacks in the Afternoon

**A/N I meant to update before this but still it's faster then usual. Lol.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Sue me** **and get $.02.**

"What do you have?" Dr. Robert Cates asked as he accepted the chart detailing the injuries of the seventeen year old boy from the EMTs.

"Frank Hardy, seventeen, head injury, possibly a concussion, found unconscious by his brother in a utility closet." On technician recited without pause. Cates nodded and pulled his penlight out of the pocket in his lab coat. He shined the light in each of Frank's eyes and scribbled something on the chart. "Bring him to exam one." The doctor instructed the orderlies who had come over. He gave the medical technicians a nod which they returned before he headed to the exam room. Joe followed after him only to be told that he needed to remain in the waiting room while Cates conducted the exam.

Joe scowled at the doctor, but nodded turning on his heel and walking back to the waiting room. Joe plopped down in a hard molded plastic chair near the nurses' station and buried his head in his hands letting out a groan as he pondered why these things always happened to them. It wasn't as though they asked for people to maim, injure, kidnap, torture or kill them.

Joe was willing to admit that they did…sometimes…put themselves in dangerous situations, but it wasn't as though they walked around with signs that said 'Attack me, Please'. Well there was that one time…but that's a different story.

**At the Hardy Home…**

The man slunk quietly around the perimeter of the house. He smirked to himself when he saw the two women get in the car evidently heading to the grocery store. Which meant the house was empty. The father was away on a case and the brothers were at the hospital. He crept quietly through the shadows toward the backdoor. He reached one gloved hand into his jacket pocket pulling out a set of lock picks. Glancing around carefully for any witnesses he jiggled the thin rod in the lock

A smile slid into place as the lock clicked. He pushed lightly on the door and stepped over the threshold closing the door behind him. The man headed up the stairs until he came upon what was perhaps the neatest room in the entire house. He entered the room cautiously and headed toward the desk.

He pulled open the top drawer and smirked noticing the notes stored there. The boy had not told anyone. Not the smartest move on his part, but so much the better for the man. He reached into the desk and pulled out a blue spiral.

Clutching the spiral in his hands he headed across the room to the bench that sat beneath the window. The man deposited the spiral on the edge of the bench and moved toward the closet intent upon his work. He pulled the double doors of the closet open and shoved past the hanging dress clothes searching for something. He grinned manically when he spotted the plain looking white box. The man picked it up and tore the cover off peering at the contents with excitement.

The box contained many of the treasures of the Chosen One. He rooted through a stack of pictures selecting several pictures from the box. The man took a red marker out of his bag and quickly inscribed a message to the boy before placing it in an envelope and tacking it to the bulletin board. Having finished this part of his mission he returned to his task of unnerving the Chosen One.

He left the room after unmaking the bed and moving several items of clothing and a few books to new locations. Finally he grabbed the Chosen One's Biology book and stuffed it into his bag before exiting the room.

**Joe/Gertrude/Laura**

Joe's eyes widened when it suddenly occurred to him that he hadn't actually called his Mother, she was going to kill him when she found out. Swallowing fearfully Joe pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed his Mom. "It's Joe." He said as the familiar voice of his Mother inquired as to who was calling.

"Hi, Sweetie, something I can do for you? Aren't you and Frank still at baseball practice?" She asked cheerfully as she made her way through the grocery store in search of that night's dinner.

"Um, well practice is still going on, but Frank and I aren't there." Joe said quietly.

"What are you talking about? Did something happen? Are you all right?" Laura said already interrogating her son and she hadn't even heard what happened yet.

"Well to answer your second question-yes, 'something' happened. Um… the thing is that Frank didn't show up to practice…, and I went looking for him, I finally found him in the utility closet and…"

"Are you telling me your brother was locked in a closet?" Laura questioned interrupting her son.

"Well…yes…I suppose, but anyway he was only semi-conscious, and I called an ambulance, we're at the Bayport General Hospital. Frank is being examined right now they think he has a concussion." Joe explained.

"I'll be right there, don't move." Laura commanded before she hung up the phone and as she headed to the next aisle where Gertrude was to tell her what happened. The two women abandoned their half full carts and headed out of the store in the hopes of getting to the hospital as soon as possible.

The two froze in their tracks when they spotted their car which looked as though it had been run over by a monster truck. "Oh my..." Laura started trailing off as she saw a spark flare up from the remains of her car. "We should back up." She muttered grabbing her sister-in-law by the arm and pulling her back ten feet or so from the car.

"Laura, call the police…" Gertrude said shaking the other woman lightly. Laura looked like she was in a daze.

"What? Oh yes…" Laura said snapping out of her shock and pulling her cell phone out of her purse.

"What is the nature of your emergency?" The operator asked immediately.

"I'm on the corner of Main and High Streets, and my car was hit by someone and there are sparks, I think it might catch fire." Laura exclaimed mentally groaning as she realized how long it would be before she could get to the hospital and her sons. This really was not her day. The two women backed up a few feet further as orange sparks flew up from the wreckage.

**Back at the Hospital…**

"Who can I get to fill out these insurance forms?" A nurse who looked to be around sixty asked sounding mad.

"Um, well, my Mom should be here soon…hopefully." Joe said flashing the woman a weak smile when she glared at him.

"No one has any respect for protocol anymore…" She informed him. Joe nodded at her looking scared. "In my day, we didn't have these issues, when someone was brought into the hospital their insurance was filled out immediately, and certainly young boys were never brought in having been found unconscious after a fight…"_ Just smile and nod, smile and nod._ Joe chanted to himself as the woman continued her lecturing. "Well…?" She asked tapping her foot impatiently. Joe jumped when he realized that he had no idea what she had just said.

"Um…I'll ponder that?" Joe asked weakly. She opened her mouth to continue berating him when Doctor Cates emerged from the exam room and walked over to Joe

"You can go ahead and leave Mr. Hardy with me Nurse Jenkins." Dr. Cates said with an amused smile. Joe let out a sigh of relief when he saw the woman leave with a final glare in his direction. "Your brother has a grade three concussion; he'll be kept under observation for at least a day possibly two. I'm having him moved to a room on the fifth floor, check with a nurse up there for his room number." Dr. Cates explained without preamble.

"All right, thanks, Doctor." Joe said quickly shaking the doctor's hand before turning on his heel and sprinting toward the elevator. He was dimly aware of the nurse yelling after him not to run, but he was already jabbing the elevator button. She was moving toward him again having already started talking about how in her day boys knew not to run in the hospital when the doors mercifully slid open to admit him. Joe hurriedly pressed the button for the fifth floor sighing in undisguised relief when they slid shut and the elevator started to move.

**And Now Back to the Psychotic People who are out to get Frank…**

"I have infiltrated the home of the Chosen One." The man who had entered the Hardy house exclaimed kneeling before the stone alter once more. "I've left the explanation that goes with the letter." He continued.

"Excellent job, my Son, Mother Earth smiles upon you for your work at her behest." His companion complimented. "Soon the boy will piece it together, and then it will be time." He continued.

"Shall I enact the plan KTBABGH, now?" The first man asked.

"Yes. I was just informed before your arrival that Brother John has completed his task, Mrs. Hardy is…indisposed…and the way to the Chosen One and his brother will be clear. You know what you must do. The spare must be eliminated. As we speak the union of brothers is moving to dispose of each spare, you have been so honored to remove the brother of the Chosen One from the equation. Go now, my son. Do the duty you've been so honored with." The second man said solemnly. His companion nodded and rose to his feet. He bowed once toward the alter before exiting the room on his way to fulfill his oath.

"Frank?" Joe asked pulling a chair up to his brother's hospital bed. His brother smiled slightly but didn't open his eyes.

"Yes, Joe?" Frank asked.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"That's what you said when I found you bleeding from the head on the floor…" Joe said with a pointed look.

"I have a bit of headache…" Frank started.

"A bit?! It's a grade three concussion…" Joe exclaimed.

"Fine, I have a _**big**_ headache but other then that I'm fine." Frank responded. Joe smirked at his brother.

"Whatever you say, Big Brother." Joe said in a patronizing tone.

"Are you patronizing me, Baby Brother?" Frank asked.

"Of course not." Joe replied giving Frank his best innocent blue eyes. Frank glared at his brother.

"I hate you." Frank said scowling at his brother.

"Of course you do." Joe said with a smirk clearly showing how ridiculous he found the statement. Frank glared at his brother and returned to his lifelong pondering of whether it was possible for his eyes to freeze upwards from rolling them at Joe so many times.

A single car inched quietly down the street with its headlights off. The driver smiled to himself spotting his target. Callie Shaw was within his sights, it was time to dispose of her. The girl took a step off the curb and the man slammed on the gas. Callie looked up in shock when she heard the motor rev up. She froze as the car bore down on her. Callie let out an earsplitting shriek as metal met flesh. She was thrown back when the car hit. The target slammed into a mail box near the curb and remained there…motionless. The man rolled down his window as he passed dropping a single pink geranium at her side.

**Outside the High School…**

Vanessa Bender was on her way to meet her friend, they had projects to work on. She was in such a rush that she didn't pay her surrounding any attention. Vanessa was taken by complete surprise when the glint of silver shown in the moonlight. The blade curved toward her in a graceful arc slamming into her at the joint where shoulder connected to collar bone. She didn't even have time to scream. Her assailant smiled eerily and pressed a single yellow forsythia into her hands.

**Outside Mr. Pizza…**

Tony Prito exited the restaurant locking the door behind him, it was his night to close up. The target was grabbed from behind and drug backwards down the alley. Tony struggled but was unsuccessful in his attempts to break free from the man who held him. The man pulled a gun from his jacket pocket and jammed it into the target's side. "Good-bye." He whispered coldly pulling the trigger.

The crack of the gun shot reverberated through the night. The assailant bent and placed a single monkshood at the boy's side, before turning and exiting the alley leaving Tony collapsed to the ground his face paling as he clutched desperately at the hole in his side.

**In the high school's computer lab…**

Phil Cohen was working tirelessly on his project. The lab had long since emptied of students. His computer professor had given him special permission to use the lab that night in fact he was supposed to be met by Vanessa who was planning to work on her own project while helping him with his. Phil was so absorbed in his work he didn't hear the door open. He didn't hear the soft footsteps as the person approached him. He didn't notice the lonely orange mock that was placed on the floor near his chair. And Phil didn't see the monitor that was raised above his head until it was too late. The man let go and the computer came crashing down toward Phil.

**Outside the locker rooms…**

Biff Hooper never stood a chance, sure he was stronger then the rest but so was his attacker. And Biff was unaware of what awaited him. He was unprepared for assault and unable to fend it off. The man grabbed him around the throat tightening his grip whenever Biff tried to fight back. The attacker waited until Biff went limp his struggles ceasing before he dropped the still body to the ground. The man knelt down pulling a begonia from his pocket and resting it in the hands of the boy who remained eerily still.

**At the Mortons…**

Chet Morton was a happy trusting person. He was completely unsuspecting of the danger that awaited him. Chet's appointed killer waited in the shadows of the barn. He came in a bucket filled with animal feed swinging back and forth in his hands. Chet was hit over the head from behind. The killer pulled out his matchbook and struck a light dropping it into a nearby haystack before placing an oleander which was held in a special fire proof container next to the boy. The man then turned fleeing from the barn leaving Chet to his death.

**At the Hospital…**

"I'm going to go get some coffee from the cafeteria." Joe informed his brother.

"All right, go ahead, don't worry, I'll still be here when you get back." Frank said tiredly as he offered his brother a grin which he returned before heading out of the room. Joe headed quickly to the cafeteria in desperate need of caffeine. He went through the line having decided that he may as well attempt to stomach some dinner before returning to Frank's room. Joe accepted the ray of food from the cafeteria worker handing him a few bills.

Joe left the tray that had an unappetizing looking ham sandwich, a bag of chips, an old apple, and a _**single orange poppy**_ in a vase on a vacant table as he got up to go over to the coffee machine to get a drink.

Joe returned with his wonderfully caffeinated drink sitting down at the table. He quickly unwrapped his sandwich and began to eat. Midway through his sandwich Joe froze falling from his seat and hitting his head on the linoleum tile.

**Frank…**

Frank frowned to himself wondering where his brother was. It had been fifteen minutes and he had yet to return. Frank glanced up when his door opened and an orderly walked in with a vase containing seven dark crimson roses with a single forsythia in the middle. Frank gaped at the flowers. "Do you know where these are from?" He questioned the orderly.

"No, I'm sorry but they were left with a note to deliver them to Frank Hardy at the front desk."

"Oh thanks anyway." Frank said with a smile as the orderly placed the flowers on the small table in the room. Frank couldn't stop the shiver that ran down his spine when he saw the flowers. Despite his mind thinking that they were simply from some well wisher he couldn't help but think that the flowers held some hidden meaning that was anything but good.

**A/N Review, the next chapter is done and will be posted as soon as they get sent back to me. Oh and everyone say thanks to The Silent Rumble for editing it because I think I thourghly confused him since the chapter was um how should I say screwed up pretty badly when I emailed it to him. But he fixed it so yeah it makes sense now...I think. Idk. review and tell me.**


	7. The Results of one Horrifying Night

**A/N I am so, so, so, so, so, sorry times one million times infinity…etc. I beg you to forgive me. I'll even throw in another update tomorrow. I have the chapter written already I just need to edit it a bit. **

**Thanks for all the reviews everyone.**

**Disclaimer: An-Jelly-Ca owns nothing beyond her everlasting sorrow for making her readers wait this long to find the results of the peril she has put the characters waist deep in.**

**Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to: Medieval Liz, whitetigers, DeanParker, Squishington Baldwin, RILEYSnational'streasure, and hardyboysfansrock who faithfully reviewed the last chapter and had to wait for so long to see what happened. I'm really sorry. **

Phil Cohen reached across the desk he was working at to grab his notebook only to send his pen crashing toward the ground. The brown eyed boy leaned over to pick up the pen just as the computer monitor came sailing toward his head. He narrowly managed to throw himself out of the chair after spotting the movement out of the corner of his eye. The monitor originally meant to crush his skull ended up landing on his left arm snapping the bones in with an audible crack. Phil saw spots dance in front of his eyes and pain shot up the injured limb. His attacker let out a groan of frustration and reached an hand into his jacket presumably to get a gun or some other weapon out to fulfill his grisly task. The teenager was saved from finding out exactly what it was the man planned to kill him with by a light going on in the hallway. The would be killer fled the room evidently deciding that he didn't want to risk discovery. Phil, unlike the killer, knew that the lights automatically turned on at eight o'clock each evening. The night custodial staff started work at eight thirty, he'd never been more grateful for the invention of timed lighting systems and janitorial staffs. The teenager paused and closed his eyes tightly against the throbbing he felt in his arm before mentally thanking God that he wasn't dead and reaching into his pocket to call the police.

"Hello, I'd like to report an emergency." Phil said his voice holding a slight note of panic.

"What is the nature of your emergency?" The calm voice of Caralyn Samms questioned. The woman had been a 9-1-1 operator for twenty years and was schooled at remaining cool under pressure.

"I was attacked; I'm at Bayport high school." Phil said as a scream echoed through the window, the boy shuddered his mind wandering back to the cruel and slightly crazed face of his own attacker. "I just heard a scream, I think someone else was just attacked." Phil added his face pale from a combination of fear and pain.

"Ambulances and police are on the way." Caralyn reassured the teenager in a motherly voice. "Where in the school are you?"

"I'm in the computer lab." Phil answered the note of panic in his tone growing more apparent with each word.

"All right I want you to stay on the line with me until the police get there okay?" Caralyn Samms had learned in her years working as an operator that it was important to keep victims of an attack calm and the best and only way she could do this was by talking.

"…" Phil zoned out as the pain in his arm intensified. "Huh…?" He asked after a minute.

"Stay on the line until the police get there okay?" The woman repeated to the injured boy. "Tell me about school, what were you staying late for?"

"Hmm..." Phil responded tiredly squeezing his eyes shut in pain. He paused for a moment before continuing his voice sounding wary. "An advanced search program for my computer class, I'm designing it with my friends Vanessa and Frank, it can sort through every thing on your computer; files, browsing history, favorite web pages, and find what your looking for at a speed of ten times faster then the normal search engine." The boy explained thoughts of his project filled his mind and he could almost forget the pain and fear that had controlled all his thoughts moments before.

"Wow, sounds complicated, I've never been great with computer, my own son is still trying to teach me how to use email." The operator replied.

"Oh, it's really quite simple once you know what your doing, computers seem vastly over complicated but they're really not."

"I don't know about that but I'll take your word for it." Caralyn answered as sirens sounded audible even through the phone. "It looks like help has arrived."

**Outside…**

"I thought you said we were supposed to pick up a boy?" Mark Harris, one of the first EMT's on the scene questioned his friend and partner.

"We are." His fellow EMT answered looking at his coworker bewilderedly.

"Well…then it looks like we have another victim." Mark answered grabbing a bag of medical supplies from the back of the ambulance and jogging over to a figure slumped over in the grass surrounded by a growing crimson puddle. "Damn." He muttered grabbing a pressure bandage from his bag and pressing down on the stab wound. James quickly caught up to him wheeling a stretcher.

"What do we have?"

"Teenage girl suffering from a stab wound." The other EMT replied. "She's suffering from enormous blood loss. The two managed to get her onto the stretcher with little trouble. It was getting the stretcher back to the ambulance without Mark removing his hands from the wound that was the problem. But they managed; upon getting her into the ambulance they hooked her up to oxygen and a heart monitor before checking her vitals.

"This doesn't look good." James muttered more to himself then his friend as he took note of her vitals on a blank chart. "I'm going to go tell the police we found a girl, head back without me, she can't afford to wait." He added. Mark nodded to his friend. A third EMT from one of the other ambulances came over to replace James. The ambulance pealed out of the school's parking lot siren blaring.

Eight police officers and two ambulance workers headed into the school to evacuate Phil and search for any attackers; they made their way up a set of stairs to the Bayport High School computer lab. They found the room empty other then Phil who was pinned under the monitor. All of the officers except for two left to search nearby classrooms for the attacker while the others stayed to protect Phil and the EMT's. They managed to get the monitor off Phil and secured his injured arm to his side not wanting to move it from its position for fear of messing up the badly broken limb further. They got him onto the stretcher and out of the school. The police were in favor of questioning him immediately but agreed to let him go to the hospital first when they received a report that a third student had been found.

Officers Theodore Thom and Henry Jacobson were checking various rooms of the school for whoever had assaulted the two students who had been located thus far. They had considered bypassing the locker rooms at first but finally decided that it was a good place for the attacker to have gone through as it had an exit which led to the outside. They checked the girls' locker room first and found it to be empty. They then headed across the gym to the boys' one and searched it finally coming across Biff lying on the ground near the exit. They immediately checked to see if he was breathing. He wasn't. Officer Thom immediately started CPR while Jacobson contacted the other officers outside to bring help.

Medical Technicians reached the locker rooms quickly and took over the resuscitation efforts. They managed to get Biff breathing again but they weren't sure whether he would survive or if he did whether he would have brain damage from lack of oxygen. They hooked him up to an oxygen mask to assist his breathing before heading away from the school and toward Bayport General Hospital.

**Laura and Gertude…**

"Exactly what happened here?" Con Riley asked tiredly as he pulled out a pad of paper to take notes on.

"Gertrude and I were in the grocery store, when we got a call from Joe. Frank's in the hospital, and we were rushing to get to him when we got to the parking lot and found our car like this."

"Frank's in the hospital?" Con asked immediately.

"Yes, Joe just called me, someone attacked him." Laura answered. Con was about to question her further when his phone rang.

"I have to take this, hold on a minute and I'll drive you to the hospital." Con offered already taking out his phone and walking a few feet away.

"Chief?" Con asked upon looking at his caller identification.

"There's been an accident…" Collig started

"With Frank? I know that, Mrs. Hardy just told me."

"No not with Frank. We just received a call from Bayport high school; three students were found there, and they're in bad shape." Collig answered.

"Who?" Con asked.

"Vanessa Bender, Biff Hooper, and Phil Cohen." Collig answered grimly. "Ambulances have already been sent to the scene, finish up with Mrs. Hardy and then drop her off at the hospital. After that head to the school. Early reports don't think Biff or Vanessa will make it."

"And Phil?"

"He made the call, apparently someone tried to kill him with a computer monitor and he managed to roll out of the way, it landed on his left arm though and it's pretty badly fractured, they aren't sure if it can be fully repaired." Collig answered. "But these are just early reports from the EMT's." He added. "All right, Riley, just get yourself down there, I've got to go." Collig said ending the phone call.

"Damn." Con muttered walking back over to the two Hardy women. "All right we can leave." He said leading them over to his squad car. They made it to the hospital in fifteen minutes. Con drove them to the front entrance and let them out making sure they had entered the hospital before leaving.

**A/N Again, I'm really and truly sorry about the long wait. (gets down on hands and knees and yet again begs for forgiveness.) I think I have like three or four chapters done so I shall update again tomorrow. I'm so, so, sorry and I swear I'll never ever take this long to update again barring the most severe of issues. Review, please.**


	8. A Suprise Visitor

**A/N I'm bacccccck! Fast right? Lol. Thanks for all the reviews people.**

**Disclaimer: I own nada!**

"Pull over, Jeremy." Stephanie Cues a forty year-old third grade teacher commanded frantically her eyes riveted to a dark form on the ground fifteen feet or so behind their car.

"Why?" Jeremy questioned with a frown.

"I think I saw a person back there." She responded sounding shocked. He gaped at her but backed up the car until she told him to stop. Stephanie opened the door to the SUV and ran over to the body of one Callie Shaw.

"Is she alive?" Jeremy asked cautiously walking up behind his wife. Stephanie placed two fingers on Callie's neck feeling for a pulse.

**Outside Mr. Pizza…**

Kathy Jacobs hummed quietly to herself as she headed home, deciding that it was fastest to cut through the alley behind the pizza place near her house she turned the corner into said alley. She paused at the entrance having heard a groan. She was tempted to keep walking but decided that someone probably needed help. She let out a gasp when she found the teenage boy collapsed near the dumpster. His face was so pale, and it held a grayish tint it was the color of the oatmeal her Grandmother always tried to get her to eat. She shivered slightly although the night was warm and dropped to her knees next to the boy. Kathy pulled off her sweater and covered the wound in his side with it making sure to apply pressure. She continued to hold the sweater over the wound with one hand while pulling out her cell phone with the other. "I need help." She said as soon as she heard a voice on the other end.

"What is the nature of your emergency?"

"I was walking home and…and I found a boy in the alley, I think he's been shot." Kathy said her voice bordering on hysterical.

"Where are you?" The operator asked.

"I'm outside of the Mr. Pizza restaurant in downtown Bayport." She answered.

"All right I'm going to send an ambulance as well as police there; they should be there in ten minutes or so." The operator assured.

**At the farm/ranch/Morton's house…**

Chet coughed as smoke filled the barn, he was still unconscious and the fire was spreading unhindered in the wooden stable. The animals in the barn were panicking and so far no one had noticed the fire. It didn't look good for one Chester A. Morton.

Catherine Morton was sitting in her kitchen wondering what was taking Chet so long. He had gone out to feed the animals half an hour ago, a job which usually took him fifteen minutes or less. Mrs. Morton rose from the table taking her glass of water with her and placing it in the sink; she paused and looked out the window over the sink. Her eyes were immediately drawn toward the barn which was lit up a bright shade of crimson against the velvety black sky. "Bob, the barn is on fire, get down here now." She screamed up the stairs already dialing 9-1-1 while her husband ran past her toward the barn. Luckily they had a hose just outside of it.

Bob Morton made his way over to the hose and turned the knob on it; he grabbed at the long length of rubber and pulled it toward the barn doors. Mr. Morton grabbed hold of one door making sure not to be in front of it when he opened it and pulled. Smoke rushed out turning the already warm night hot. Mr. Morton pushed his way forward pointing the hose ahead of him while silently praying to God that his son wasn't in the barn even as the growing feeling of dread in his gut told him that Chet was definitely there. The flames were still raging but Bob had managed to put out those nearest the door. His eyes flickered across the floor looking for his son. He was rewarded to find Chet in the corner to the left of the door. "Damn." Bob muttered to himself dropping the hose not particularly caring about anything except getting his son out alive. He reached Chet as the fire began to engulf the walls. Bob grabbed his son under his arms and proceeded to drag him out of and away from the barn.

**In the Cafeteria-Joe…**

Joe hit the tiled floor of the cafeteria hard his head falling with a resounding thunk as it hit the bench on its way to meet the floor. He was dimly aware of people rushing toward him before he blacked out.

"What happened?" Dr. Robert Cates asked when Joe was brought to him a few minutes later. "Wait, isn't this guy the brother of my other patient?" He mused as he took the chart from the orderly. "Hardy, yup, this is the kid I talked to earlier." Cates said more to himself then the orderly. "I want a blood analysis done; I need to know whether this boy is simply suffering from dehydration or something worse." He ordered a nurse. "Move him to exam three." Cates directed the orderly.

**Ten Minutes Later…Laura/Gertrude…**

"Hi, I'm Laura Hardy, can you possibly tell me where I can find my son?" Laura asked walking up to the nurses' station.

"Which one?" The nurse, Rebecca Heralds, asked.

"Frank, of course, Joe's not in the hospital." Laura answered.

"Yes, actually he is, you see Mrs. Hardy, your other son, Joseph Hardy, was admitted just ten minutes ago, apparently he collapsed on the cafeteria floor." Nurse Heralds explained. Laura turned pale and wondered for a minute why her sons simply couldn't stay out of the hospital for even a month. If it wasn't one it was the other, and usually it was both. "Joe is in exam three, and Frank is in room five hundred and twelve." Laura thanked the woman before both she and Gertrude moved a few feet away to discuss what to do.

**Frank…**

Frank frowned to himself wondering what was taking his brother so long to get back. It's not that he didn't think Joe didn't deserve a break from sitting in the hospital room with him; he just didn't like it when Joe went unaccounted for longer then a few minutes. When that happened his little brother tended to end up kidnapped or unconscious. Not that Frank could in good conscious say that he was any better, but still, he was the older brother and he could worry if he wanted to. Even if it made Joe mad. But still Frank ignored him and continued with his worrying. And then there were the flowers. Something about them just freaked him out, perhaps it was the color or something but they just bothered him, and the fact that he knew nothing about where they came from did nothing to ease his thoughts.

"I come all the way down from River Heights to visit you and you're in the hospital again…" Frank looked up in shock his chocolate brown eyes meeting the sapphire ones of the strawberry blond girl in front of him. "Can't say I'm surprised." She continued.

"Nancy! What're you doing here?" Frank exclaimed his thoughts momentarily turning from their previously ominous thread.

"Well, Dad has a case in New York and he brought me with, only I got a cab here and he headed into the city." Nancy explained.

"How did you find out I was here?" Frank asked.

"Well, I went to the school first because I thought you and Joe would still be there for practice and your coach told me you were here." Nancy explained. "Apparently the principal had told him, and then I stopped by your house to see if Joe had actually remembered to call your parents but no one was home, so then I called everyone's phone and no one answered, so finally I just decided to come here." Nancy explained. "Now what did you do to get yourself in here?'" She asked sternly. "Every time I turn around I'm getting a call that you or Joe is in a hospital, and before you bring it up, you two are way worse then me."

"Fine…I won't argue that for now. Anyway, what happened is I was heading to my computer class when I was grabbed from behind and pulled into a utility closet. It was dark and I couldn't see my attacker, but he was strong. He slammed my head against the wall and I collapsed. Joe found me a few hours later." Frank said skimming over the warnings.

"You aren't telling me everything." Nancy said it was a statement and not a question.

"Come on, Nan…just leave this alone." Frank said turning his best puppy dog eyes on her. She hesitated but nodded.

"Fine, I'll leave it for now, but we'll be getting back to it." She said sternly. "Now where has your brother gotten off to?" Nancy questioned.

**A/N Review please. Next chapter will be up tomorrow or the next day. **


	9. Life or Death

**A/N Sorry about the wait…and don't worry I won't kill **_**ever**_**y**_**one**_

**Thanks to all reviewers.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

"He went to get food." Frank replied again looking toward the door as though expecting Joe to walk through it.

"I see." Nancy answered turning her head and glancing curiously at the flowers on the nightstand. "Who are these from?" Nancy asked suddenly.

"Oh…I actually don't know." Frank replied after a pause. "There was no card." He explained.

"Why would someone give you mourning flowers?" Nancy asked raising an eyebrow.

"…Mourning flowers?"

"Dark crimson roses mean 'mourning' generally they're for when someone dies." Nancy explained. "And the forsythia in the middle means 'anticipation'." She continued.

"…Maybe they got the wrong room…" Frank evaded looking upwards at the ceiling.

"…right…Frank, do you honestly expect me to believe that?"

"Er…yes." He answered.

"Keep dreaming." Nancy answered. "Now talk. Who attacked you? What'd they say? Don't tell me you don't know anything, Frank, I know you do…so talk, or I go find Joe and get him to force you to talk."

**Tony…**

Tony was loaded into the ambulance immediately upon their arrival at the scene. The police questioned Kathy and roped off the alley with the yellow crime scene tape that was rapidly becoming familiar to the residents of Bayport especially those that associated themselves with the Hardy family.

Tony reached the hospital in less then fifteen minutes he was suffering from massive blood loss and a punctured lung. He was immediately rushed into surgery upon arrival at the hospital. There was no pause to ask for insurance or to call family for permission, the teen was in critical condition and the doctors were unsure whether he would even make it through the surgery.

After Tony was in OR One getting an operation by the time a nurse remembered to call his family. The Pritos were informed of their son's condition and warned that they needed to get to the hospital right away. This wasn't a joke, their only son was on an operating table being cut open by surgeons who had little clue as to whether they could save the boy in question. This was life or death.

**Emergency Room/ Callie…**

It had been a busy night in the ER of Bayport General Hospital, there'd been worse, but usually only when there was a multiple car accident on the highway. Certainly the emergency room had never seen so many teenagers in such a short time span brought in from seemingly unrelated incidents. As soon as one teen was rushed to the OR another was brought in. Strange also for the small town of Bayport were the injuries, the town saw its fair share of maladies, considering the fact that the Hardys resided in the town, but to see wounds of this magnitude in teenagers that were not Frank or Joe was rare for the town. But then these were friends of the Hardys and therefore subject to the danger that seemed to follow the family.

The medical personnel of Bayport General Hospital glanced warily toward the doors as they burst open no doubt bringing more patients to the hospital. Doctors and nurses converged on the gurney that was pushed through the doors. On the moving stretcher lay the prone body of one Callie Shaw. The girl in question was pale and covered in an assortment of cuts and bruises her breathing was shallow and the rise and fall of her chest was hard to discern and had the personnel in question not been medical professionals they might not have been able to distinguish between the living teen and a mannequin made to be used in some horror movie. The doctors worked quickly attempting to make her semi-stable before she was rushed into surgery. From what they discerned Callie was suffering from internal bleeding compounded with a broken arm, leg, and ribs, as well as a concussion. At the current rate of internal bleeding as well as external blood loss if they couldn't stop the bleeding and get her a transfusion quickly the girl wouldn't survive the night. This was life or death.

**Chet…**

Chester Morton was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. On the way over he stopped breathing twice. He was given cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the emergency medical technicians managed to keep him alive throughout the trip. He had inhaled a lot of smoke and was suffering from a head injury. Chet had been deprived of oxygen and they were unsure whether he would have brain damage or ever wake up if he even managed to live through the night. His odds were better then some of his friends who had been brought to the hospital that night but they weren't great and no guarantees could be made. This was life or death.

**Vanessa…**

Vanessa's surgeon frowned as he attempted to repair the damage to her lung; the girl had suffered extensively at the hands of her attacker. As of yet they were unsure whether they could even get her through the surgery. The head surgeon, Dr. Montgomery accepted the suction tool from one of the surgical nurses, using it to attempt to suck up the blood that was rapidly flooding from the lung. Just as they had repaired the damage as best they could and were preparing to close up her heart rate began to steadily drop below healthy levels. They immediately began to treat her desperately trying to get her heart rate up but it only dropped making her survival less and less likely. This wasn't a small childhood injury. This was life and death.

**A/N Wow, look at all the sadness/macabre-ness/deadness/and depressical-ness. Lol. Shorter then usual for this story but yeah I want the next parts in the next chapter. I have the next chapter pre-written, review and I will post it, probably in a day or two. Salt water taffy for all those who review, and if you don't like that I have cookies as well, just review.**


	10. Look to the Flowers

**A/N Hello, my lovely readers, I have returned with an update! **

**Thanks to all reviewers.**

**Disclaimer: I no own. You no sue.**

"Joseph Hardy?" Doctor Robert Cates asked walking into the waiting room in the emergency room where Laura and Gertrude were sitting. They had decided to wait for news of Joe before heading upstairs to see Frank.

"Yes?" Laura asked anxiously standing up. Cates approached the two women and nodded hello to them before launching into his explanation.

"I treated both your son Joe and your son Frank. Frank is suffering from a grade three concussion and should be released in a day or two. What really concerns me is Joe's condition; Joe was in the hospital cafeteria eating something when he collapsed. We're running test on him to see what's wrong but we think he may have been poisoned based on his condition. Originally we though he had simply passed out but based on our test results he appears to be in a drug-induced coma." The doctor explained.

"You can bring him out of it right?" Laura asked anxiously.

"Well…the thing is all blood tests have come back negative for drugs commonly used to bring on a comatose state, we think that this may be illegally engineered drug, or a combination of several mixed and made to dissolve in the bloodstream. We're having his sandwich and drink analyzed in case the substance came from them, hopefully this is the case and we'll be able to find the poison and cross engineer an antidote." Cates explained.

"And what if that's not the case?" Laura asked looking like she'd rather not know the answer.

"Then we have to try other routes, but you need to prepare yourself because I can't give you any guarantees that Joe will wake up or that whatever he was given doesn't have a secondary effect after the coma."

**Frank/Nancy…**

"The thing is…I don't know who hit me, and I don't really know why." Frank answered carefully.

"Then why don't you tell me what you do know?" Nancy answered.

"Well…they told me that this was a warning and that I should take it seriously." Frank answered hoping that would be enough to get her to leave it alone.

"A warning of what?" Nancy asked. "You and Joe aren't on any cases are you?"

"No…we're not. It's been quiet lately." Frank answered. "They didn't say what the warning was for only that it was just that."

"…strange…Are you sure you and Joe haven't seen anything or heard anything weird?" She continued.

"No…" Frank answered. "Listen, Nancy, can we please continue this conversation later? I'm really getting worried about Joe…" He asked. "Will you go look for him?" Frank questioned. Nancy gave him a searching look before answering.

"All right, fine, I'll go find Joe, but do not think this conversation is over." She answered levelly giving his hand a quick squeeze before getting up and exiting the room.

Frank frowned to himself after she left. Something was wrong here, at the moment he wasn't sure what it was and decided to push his unease aside and read the letter he had been given. He got out of his bed and gripped the edge tightly as a wave of dizziness washed over him. Frank and his growing migraine had never been so glad for a light dimmer before. He made his way to the closet where his clothes had been hung and pulled the envelope from his jeans' pocket. Frank then headed back to his bed at an agonizingly slow pace. He couldn't bring himself to walk fast however as he still felt dizzy. Frank got back into his bed and opened the letter.

_Dear Chosen One,_

_We've been watching you. And we know you haven't taken the warnings seriously. Soon the time for redemption will be upon us and you will right the sins that have been committed on this sacred Earth. But first the spares must be eliminated from your inner circle. You do not take us seriously, Mr. Hardy. This is fine, after tonight you will know better. Tonight we rid the world of those who seek to keep you from your fate. First and foremost we shall eliminate young Joseph for he seeks to protect you from destiny; he will be sent to an eternal sleep, do not worry it __**will**__ be painful. Your beloved, Callie will die a horrible death her bones crunching against the pain that comes knocking at her door. But these will not be the only lost tonight, gone will be; Anthony lost to the lead that will tear through him, Chester lost to the warmth of the flames, Vanessa lost to cold steel, Biff lost to a slow and terrible deprivation of the Earth's sweet air, and lost will be Phil killed by the very technology you yourself love. None shall remain when the night is through other then perhaps your dear Nancy Drew. But do not rejoice yet for she too will be gone but not yet. We have other uses for Miss Drew. So it has been foretold so it shall be done. Look to the flowers, Franklin, look to the flowers. We're watching you…_

_Wishing you all the best,_

_The Union _

This was really, really bad. Not just bad but horrible. As in Frank was way past over his head at this point. The note had held more information then usual, whoever was sending them was advancing his plan. Most unsettling of all he seemed to want to kill all of Frank's friends, Callie, and Joe…and Nancy, or rather they had something planned for her. Who were these people and what the hell did look to the flowers mean?


	11. Status Updates

**A/N Hello! I have finally returned with an update. I am very sorry for the long wait.**

**Thanks to All Reviewers!**

**Dedication: To Lusy611, Dorky Dory, bookworm2009, mujihi hitokiri, kungfukitty2006, and Esmeralda Marie Smith-Watson, for their reviews.**

**Disclaimer: I own nada.**

"Excuse me, do you happen to know anything about my brother Joe Hardy?" Frank questioned the orderly who had entered his room.

"It seems he passed out in the cafeteria, I've been sent to bring you to him." The orderly replied gesturing to the wheelchair he had pushed in ahead of him.

"Is he alright? What's the matter with him?" Frank asked worriedly as he allowed the orderly to help him into the wheel chair.

"I'm not sure of the exact details, I was just told to retrieve you, your mother said you would want to see him." The orderly explained.

"My mother's here?" Frank asked as they made their way down the hallway, eventually reaching the elevator.

"Yes, she's just arrived, your aunt is here as well."

The detective never saw it coming, one moment he was speaking with the orderly and then the syringe came out of nowhere. By the time Frank realized what was happening it was too late, and he had begun to fall into the waiting arms of unconsciousness.

Meanwhile, in the operating room of Bayport General Hospital a team of surgeons was fighting desperately to save the life of one Callie Shaw who was experiencing internal bleeding along with various other complications resulting from her hit and run.

An ominous sound began to blare through the operating room, as her blood pressure began to rapidly drop. The doctors began to scramble to find the source of the problem, determined to save this young girl who had her entire life ahead of her. They managed to stabilize her blood pressure, bringing it back up to safe levels. The internal damage was extensive, and despite managing to put a stop to the internal bleeding, the doctors weren't sure if she would survive the night.

The doctors closed up, and Callie was moved to a room in the Intensive Care Unit. They set her broken arm and leg, and gave her a blood transfusion. A nurse was assigned to check on the girl every half an hour.

**Vanessa...**

Doctor Montgomery had managed to stabilize Vanessa's vitals and conclude the surgery on her lung. The teenager had been bandaged up and moved into the ICU, her room next door to her best friend, Callie's. The blonde was currently unconscious, her mother had arrived at the hospital and was sitting next to her bedside watching the barely visible rise and fall of her daughter's chest. Unnoticed by the woman, a tear slid down her face as she observed her child lying in the bed.  
There was nothing worse, Andrea Bender maintained, than seeing your child in pain. She had seen Callie's parents on their way to their own daughter's room, and they had such a lost expression on their faces as though they had no idea how to carry on when their daughter was suffering. The computer specialist had waved weakly at the couple, but had not stopped to speak with them. She was mainly concerned with being with Vanessa and she could tell that they wanted to be with their own daughter as well.

Andrea lightly stroked her daughter's hair, praying to God that she wouldn't lose Vanessa like she had lost he husband. She didn't think she could stand it.

**-Story Break-**

In the emergency room a strange hush had fallen over everyone. The mass entrance of so many injured teenagers, had caused a sense of anxiety to pervade the atmosphere of the room. Thus far, the status of the admitted teenagers was not optimisic on the whole.

Of the two girls, Vanessa Bender and Callie Shaw, neither was currently in very good condition. The doctors had managed to stabilize them, but their parents had been told to prepare themselves for the worst.

As for Tony Prito, the surgeons had managed to remove the bullet, which luckily had missed any vital organs. He had been given a blood transfusion and the doctor's were cautiously optimistic that he would pull through.

Biff Hooper was alive, but unconscious, he had stopped breathing twice since his arrival at the hospital, and had yet to awaken. It remained to be seen whether he would regain full mental functioning, or even if he would survive at all.

Phil Cohen was by far facing the best condition of them all, as he had escaped with naught but a severely broken arm. He would require surgery for his arm as soon as possible, however as his surgery was lower priority then the other surgeries going on at the moment, so they were waiting for an operating room to be available.

Chet Morton was suffering from a severe head injury coupled with smoke inhalation. The doctors were fairly sure he would pull through, but were uncertain what level of damage he would face from the head injury.

Joe Hardy currently remained firmly in a comatose state, while his doctor's remained uncertain of the cause of his current state.

All in all, despite being home to the Hardy family for nearly twenty years, Bayport had never seen so much damage in one evening. And, things were about to get much, much worse.

**A/N Review! This story will be updated every Friday in compliance with my new updating schedule!**


	12. Shocking Revelations

****

****

A/N Hello my lovely readers! I have returned with an update. Woot!

Thanks to all Reviewers!

Dedication: To MCR-1993 my fiftieth reviewer.

Disclaimer: I own nada.

"I captured the Chosen One, sir." A man cloaked in black said kneeling in front of a throne-like chair.

"Excellent work, my son." The second man complimented. "Have you placed him in the preparation room?" He inquired.

"Yes, sir."

"We await only the appointed time, and the arrival of the other members of our organization, then we will set about healing the suffering of the Earth." His face gleamed in the dim lighting, illuminating the crazed expression on his face.

The second man involuntarily felt a shudder go through him. He knew they were doing the right thing, but their leader really freaked him out sometimes.

****

-Story Break-

Frank awoke to find himself handcuffed and lying on a stone surface of some sort. He was reminded vaguely of an alter, and he shivered at the thought. He had a very bad feeling about this. A very bad feeling indeed.

The door opened and the room was flooded with light. A hooded figure stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "Hello, Frank." The man said pulling down his hood and revealing himself to the detective.

"Mr. Johansson?" Frank demanded incredulously.

"Yes, but you may called me Leader." Frank's soon to be former computer teacher replied.

"What the fuck?" Frank demanded.

"Language, Mr. Hardy." Johansson tutted. "If you can keep silent I will explain everything to you, is it a deal?"

"Fine." Frank responded his mind still reeling from the revelation that his computer teacher had kidnapped him.

"Well, it all started..."

****

**-Story Break-**

"Mrs. Hardy, I have excellent news." Dr. Cates proclaimed.

"What is it?" Laura asked immediately rising to greet him. She was alone for the moment, Gertrude had gone to phone Fenton and inform him of the situation.

"We've managed to identify the drug cocktail used on your son, Joe. It was in his drink, so while we couldn't find anything in his bloodstream as it had disappeared we were able to figure it out by analyzing the contents of his drink. Normally, this drug combination would be fatal within twenty-four hours, fortunately we have managed to identify it, and have just administered the antidote. He should be waking up soon." The doctor continued.

"Thank you so much, doctor." Laura exclaimed her eyes tearing up slightly as she thought of what could have happened if the doctors hadn't acted so quickly to identify the drug.

"I'm just doing my job, ma'am." He replied politely. "You can go see him now." He added.

"I will," Laura replied. "First, though, I had better go see his older brother, he's probably wondering what is going on, and where Joe disappeared to."

"Of course." The doctor replied. "I also took the liberty of phoning the police department to let them know about the poisoning attempt, they should be here soon."

"Thank you for all your help." Laura said politely before heading to Frank's room. On the way she bumped into Callie's mother. "Rebecca?" She asked.

"Did you hear about Callie?" Rebecca Shaw questioned.

"No, what happened? I'm here about Frank and Joe they were both attacked." Laura explained.

"She was hit by a car." Mrs. Shaw said softly her eyes welling with tears.

"I'm so sorry. Is she going to be alright?" Laura asked worriedly. She was very fond of her son's girlfriend, and could not stand to hear of her being hurt.

"The doctors aren't sure." Rebecca replied. "Vanessa is in the hospital as well, her room is down the hall from Callie's."

"What happened to Vanessa?"

"She was stabbed, apparently."

"What is going on?" Laura wondered. She was not a detective, but she did know that this was clearly no coincidence.

"Are Frank and Joe currently involved in any cases...?" Rebecca questioned.

"None that I know of." Laura replied. "I had better be going to Frank's room, Callie will be in my prayers, Rebecca."

"Thank you." The other woman replied. "Frank and Joe will be in mine as well."

Laura continued on her way to Frank's room only to be stopped again this time by her sister-in-law.

"I was just in the emergency room, using the phone, when I saw the Cohens and the Hoopers." Gertrude exclaimed. "Apparently Phil and Biff were both attacked at the high school."

"I really don't like this." Laura murmured. "Callie and Vanessa were also attacked. Callie was hit by a car, and Vanessa was stabbed." She added.

"What is going on here?" Gertrude wondered.

"Something bad." Laura noted. "Something very, very bad."

****

A/N Review! The next chapter will be posted next Friday.


	13. Learning about the Organization

**A/N Hello, everyone, I apologize for the delay in updates. Thank you for your patience. **

**Thanks to all Reviewers!**

**Dedication: To ilovesnickers for her review. :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nada.**

"You are currently in the headquarters of a centuries old organization which has strived to protect the Earth from those who would do her harm." He began. "I became involved in the organization during college, I had joined several environmental clubs, gone to some protest rallies, and one day a member approached me and told me about their organization and their plans for the future. And, I realized the brilliance of their plan-"

"Of course you did." Frank muttered sarcastically.

Johansson ignored him and continued onward. "They have documented evidence that once every fifty or so years, a Chosen One is born, who can heal the scars of the Earth through an ultimate sacrifice. You are that one, Frank Hardy."

"What kind of sacrifice?" Frank asked warily, he had a bad feeling that it was not going to involve agreeing to drive a hybrid car or recycle his plastic items.

"First you must cut all your earthly ties, friends, family, significant others."

"Don't touch them." Frank exclaimed hotly.

"It's too late." Johansson exclaimed calmly. "Your brother will be dead within twenty-four hours after slipping into a coma, your girlfriend was hit by a car, Tony Prito was shot, Biff Hooper was strangled, Chet Morton was knocked out and left in a fire, Vanessa Bender was stabbed, Phil Cohen is still regrettably alive, suffering only a crushed arm, but someone from the organization will take care of him shortly."

"No, no, no." Frank exclaimed in shock his face rapidly losing color.

"Don't worry, Frank, you will be joining them soon united in death." Johansson comforted albeit rather poorly. "Now the only individual left to eliminate is Miss Drew."

"Why?" Frank managed to ask forcing thoughts of Joe, Callie, and his friends to the back of his mind for now. He just had to pray that his soon to be former computer teacher was lying.

"Our prophecies indicate that you, the latest Chosen One, would have met another, descended from the original Chosen One, the first sacrifice for the Earth's redemption."

"What?"

"You see, Miss Drew is descended on her mother's side from the original Chosen One." He answered. "Our prophecy states that by sacrificing you, the representative of this latest generation, with the descendant of the original Chosen One, we will be able to create a more potent sacrifice and hopefully bring a final end to all that has plagued the earth."

Frank starred at Johansson incredulously as though seriously contemplating asking him if he had inhaled any suspicious fumes lately, but he had an idea that the computer teacher would not take too kindly to such an inquiry.

The door opened and a cloaked figure entered dragging someone after them.

"Nancy?" Frank asked craning his neck to see her, a rather difficult feat as he was tied down to the altar.

"Frank?" She replied and was shaken by the man holding onto her in an attempt to quiet her.

"You got her then?" Johansson inquired idly.

"Yes, sir."

"Tie her up over there." Johansson commanded indicating to another altar directly next to the one Frank was on. "Oh, and Miss Drew?"

"Yes?" Nancy asked warily.

"Just do as he says and don't struggle, I really would prefer that I didn't have to kill your friend here." Johansson said nodding toward Frank.

Nancy frowned but allowed herself to be tied down to the altar with minimal struggling.

"I believe, Mr. Hardy, that I have told you quite as much as necessary, I will leave you and Miss Drew to get reacquainted we will return shortly for further preparations."

With that Johansson led the other cloaked figure from the room leaving Frank and Nancy to talk.

-Story Break-

Laura and Gertrude Hardy walked into Frank's room expecting to find him sitting up in bed demanding to know where his brother was and eager to go see said brother once informed of what had happened.

They assuredly did not expect to enter his room and find empty.

The two women had immediately gone to the nurses' station to inquire as to whether Frank had been taken to get tests of some sort, and were told that he should have been in his room. This resulted in hospital security being called to comb the hospital in search of the missing boy.

Laura and Gertrude had decided to go with the most obvious option of checking the room's of each of Frank's friends as well as Joe operating on the assumption that he would only have left his room if it had been to see one of them upon hearing that they had been injured.

Laura agreed to check Joe, Callie, and Vanessa's rooms, while Gertrude checked Phil, Chet, Tony, and Biff's rooms. Laura saved checking Joe's room for last because she knew that if he had woken up, he would want to immediately jump out of bed in search of his brother, and she hoped to have found Frank before that happened.

Unfortunately, she arrived at Joe's room to find that Frank had not been to see Callie or Vanessa, and upon entering her youngest son's room she found that Frank was not there either. Joe however was not alone. She found her husband sitting next to his bedside. Joe was still asleep.

"I got Gertrude's message." Fenton explained. "Where is Frank?"

Before she could respond the blond teenager on the bed began to stir and they both turned anxiously toward him. Joe opened his eyes blearily and winced in pain. "What happened?"

**A/N Review! Update should be Friday in compliance with the updating schedule.**


	14. Joe Awakens

**A/N That's right, I, An-Jelly-Ca am updating actually on time. Be amazed! Be shocked! :D**

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**Dedication: To Lights aura 858 for her review. **

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"Are you alright, Joe?" Laura demanded anxiously of her younger son.

"I'm fine." Joe replied waving away her concern. "What happened?" He repeated grimly looking back and forth from his mother to his father.

"You were poisoned," Fenton began in a grim tone. "You had slipped into a coma, but the doctors were able to find an antidote."

"Where is Frank?" Joe asked. "He's here, you know-"

"Actually he isn't." His mother interrupted. "Frank is missing."

Fenton glanced sharply at his wife. "Is that what you were going to tell me before Joe woke up?"

"Yes," Laura confirmed. "Hospital security is combing the hospital for him, Gertrude and I already checked with all his friends."

"How would he be with our friends if he was in the hospital?" Joe demanded.

"Your friends are in the hospital." His mother replied grimly.

"As visitors?" Joe asked hopefully although his gut told him that wasn't the case.

"No, like yourself they were attacked," Laura said shaking her head.

"They were poisoned, too? Well, that's fine then, the doctors have the antidote don't they?" Joe remarked.

"I'm afraid that they were each hurt in a different way, Chet was hit over the head and left in his family's barn which was on fire, Biff was strangled, Tony was shot, Phil is okay, he just has a broken arm, Callie was hit by a car," She paused here.

"Vanessa?" Joe prompted his fists clenched around the hospital blanket as he listened to this recitation of injuries.

"She was stabbed," Laura replied reluctantly.

"A guy is in a coma for a few hours and everything goes to hell." Joe complained to cover his shock and horror. "Are they going to be alright?" He asked quietly.

"I don't know." His mother admitted glancing at her husband who bore a troubled expression on his face. "I spoke with Callie's parents, and Vanessa's mother they were both told that their daughters are in critical condition. Biff was without oxygen for a long time, Chet is suffering from severe smoke inhalation, and Tony is in critical condition. Phil needs surgery on his arm but he should be alright." She recited.

"And Frank?"

"We don't know."

"I think it's about time to call the police." Fenton resolved. "This is no set of coincidences, I am willing to bet anything that the same person or group of people attacked all of you, and I am further willing to stake money on the fact that they took Frank."

"It does look that way." Laura agreed.

"I want to help find him." Joe announced wearing his most stubborn expression.

"Absolutely not," Fenton said firmly. "You are in no condition to be doing anything besides resting right now."

Joe opened his mouth only to be silent by a quelling look from his mother.

"We don't know anything yet; you should at least stay put while we try to get some leads." Fenton continued.

"Fine." Joe replied sullenly, he was not big on the idea of remaining in the hospital while his brother was missing. "Can I at least go see Vanessa?"

Laura and Fenton exchanged a significant glance.

"I will talk to your doctor while your father speaks with the police, if your doctor says it is okay than I will take you to see Vanessa." Laura said after a few moments.

"Thanks," Joe said quietly.

**-Story Break-**

"I have to say this is the first time I've ever been a human sacrifice," Nancy remarked after Frank finished filling her in on what Johansson had told him.

"We need to get out of here as soon as possible before they have the opportunity to complete their goals." Frank replied. "They attacked all my friends, Callie and Joe." He continued his face shadowed in worry. "What if they die, Nancy?"

"They won't," She answered firmly. "And, you and I are going to get out of here before they decide to turn us into some kind of primetime special."

"I certainly hope so." Frank murmured. "I don't relish being a sacrifice."

"It's sort of funny though," Nancy remarked.

"What do you mean?" Frank asked.

"For once neither of us did anything, no cases that is, and yet here we are." She explained.

"It seems trouble really does follow us around." Frank agreed. "Do you think we could use it as a reason for people to just let us get involved with cases?"

"What do you want us to say? How about 'you might as well let us investigate, because we end up as human sacrifices without even doing anything, so it doesn't matter if we're involved or not?"

"Pretty much," Frank said nodding his head in approval.

"Somehow, I'm not sure that we would be entirely successful." Nancy replied. "They would probably say something along the lines 'all the more reason not to put you in deliberate danger,'" She recited.

"It could go either way," Frank admitted. "But when has that ever stopped us before?" He asked.

"It hasn't." She agreed.

"Which is why we're not going to let a little thing like an organization of people intent on sacrificing us stand in our way. We're going to get the hell out of here."

"I have just one question though." Nancy stated.

"What is it?" Frank replied.

"How exactly do we do that?"

**A/N Review! Update next Friday. :)**


	15. Deciphering the Clues

**A/N Hello, everybody! I have returned with an update, yay! :D**

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**Dedication: To MCR-1993 for reviewing as always. :D**

**Disclaimer: I only own the plot.**

Joe had not been able to go see Vanessa yet, as his doctor wanted him to stay in bed and rest for at least a few more hours before he was allowed to be up and about. His parents had gone to speak with the police who were currently swarming the hospital investigating the various crimes that had occurred that night.

He was not, however, alone, Phil had been able to get cleared to come to Joe's room.

"We need to figure out what happened to Frank and Nancy." Joe repeated, he and Phil had been having the same conversation in different ways for the past several minutes in an attempt to try to think up an answer.

"Why don't we piece together what we know of each of our attacks, maybe that will give us a clue?" Phil suggested.

"It seems to me," Joe remarked. "That all these flowers have to be some kind of hint, you said that when you were attacked an orange mock was on the floor by you."

"What we really need is an expert on flower meanings." Phil remarked.

"Or a laptop, speaking of which, Frank's bag is over there, and his laptop is inside it." Joe said nodding toward a dark bag in the corner. "My parents brought his stuff in here after they found his room empty."

Phil managed to get the computer somewhat awkwardly out of the bag given that he could only use one arm and brought it over to the bed. Joe took it from him and powered it up. He soon found a flower meaning website and checked the alphabetical index for 'mock, orange.'

"An orange mock is reputed to symbolize deceit." Joe read off.

"What flower was left with you?" Phil asked thoughtfully.

"An orange poppy was on the tray I got in the cafeteria." Joe answered. "Which according to this website symbolizes eternal sleep."

"Fitting given that they poisoned you with a drug put you into a coma." Phil mused. "But I don't understand with attempting to bash my head in with a computer has to do with deceit."

"Neither do I, but we'll figure it out." Joe replied. "Have you been to see any of the others?"

"I've stopped in on everyone." Phil replied. "And, I managed to find out that an yellow forsythia was left with Vanessa, a pink geranium with Callie, a monkshood with Tony, a begonia with Biff, and an oleander with Chet."

"Okay, an yellow forsythia is meant to symbolize anticipation." Joe recited.

"Anticipation of what?"

"So, we have anticipation, deceit, and eternal sleep so far…" Joe continued. "A geranium stands for stupidity or folly, monkshood means 'beware, a deadly foe is near,' begonias mean beware, and oleanders stand for caution."

"So we have anticipation, deceit, eternal sleep, stupidity and/or folly, a deadly foe, beware, and caution." Phil murmured.

"And mourning." Joe added. "Frank had dark crimson roses in his room; they're reputed to be mourning flowers."

"So, what does all this tell us?"

Joe was silent for a few moments before speaking. "I think we can safely conclude that someone has targeted Frank, and they wanted all of us out of the way, which is why they sent him mourning flowers because they had planned to dispose of everyone close to him."

"So, that explains the mourning flowers, and we understand the poppy, but what about the others?"

"Well, whoever has Frank is 'the deadly foe,' and they're warning anyone investigating to take caution against chasing after them, basically saying that they'll end up like the rest of us if they do."

"That leaves stupidity, deceit, and anticipation." Phil listed off.

"Whoever is doing this seems to have something big planned, some major event, which is probably the meaning of 'anticipation.'" Joe replied. "Stupidity could be a challenge to us, saying that we're not smart enough to catch them."

"I still don't understand what they mean by deceit…"

"Deceit is like a lie, or a betrayal, so maybe we know or Frank knows the person behind this."

"Who could it be though?" Phil wondered.

"It needs to be someone who could get close enough to get to know Frank, but not too close." Joe answered. "Why flowers though? What's the point?"

"Besides sending a message?" Phil remarked. "Maybe whoever is behind this is environmentally oriented or something, I mean it's not hard to look up flower meanings online, but really why would you choose that method of sending a message if it weren't the reason."

"True." Joe agreed. "That could definitely be it. The only problem is that even if all our musings are correct we're still no closer to finding Frank or Nancy then we were before, we could know exactly what they're planning but that still doesn't tell us _where_ they are."

"Have you tried searching through Frank's stuff for any clues?" Phil asked.

"No, not yet." Joe replied. "But let's try that."

Phil brought Frank's belongings over to the bed, and Joe searched through them for any likely looking clue that could be present, he finally found a letter and scanned through it before shoving it at Phil.

_Dear Chosen One,_

_We've been watching you. And we know you haven't taken the warnings seriously. Soon the time for redemption will be upon us and you will right the sins that have been committed on this sacred Earth. But first the spares must be eliminated from your inner circle. You do not take us seriously, Mr. Hardy. This is fine, after tonight you will know better. Tonight we rid the world of those who seek to keep you from your fate. First and foremost we shall eliminate young Joseph for he seeks to protect you from destiny; he will be sent to an eternal sleep, do not worry it __**will**__ be painful. Your beloved, Callie will die a horrible death her bones crunching against the pain that comes knocking at her door. But these will not be the only lost tonight, gone will be; Anthony lost to the lead that will tear through him, Chester lost to the warmth of the flames, Vanessa lost to cold steel, Biff lost to a slow and terrible deprivation of the Earth's sweet air, and lost will be Phil killed by the very technology you yourself love. None shall remain when the night is through other then perhaps your dear Nancy Drew. But do not rejoice yet for she too will be gone but not yet. We have other uses for Miss Drew. So it has been foretold so it shall be done. Look to the flowers, Franklin, look to the flowers. We're watching you…_

_Wishing you all the best,_

_The Union _

"It looks like the crazy environmentalist theory is correct." Phil said when he finished reading.

"Whoever did this is some organization called the union, maybe we can google search them." Joe said hopefully. "If they have some sort of crackpot prophecy and whatever there has got to be a good chance that they have some kind of website or something."

"It's worth a shot." Phil agreed.

"At this point anything is."

**A/N Review! Update will occur next Friday!**


	16. On the Edge of the End

**A/N Hello all! Sorry for the long gap in updates, however I have been away at college which is as it turns out both extremely difficult and extremely time consuming which has sucked away my update time. Anyway, now that I am on break I am trying to update as much as I can.**

**Thanks to all Reviewers!**

**Dedication: to lights aura858 for their lovely review. :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nada. **

It had taken some time, but after half an hour of careful google-searching, they had managed to come up with a website that they were pretty sure was linked to the people who had taken Frank and evidently Nancy as well, if they were to be believed.

"Listen to this: 'The Union is committed to the preservation and restoration of our planet to its former glory, human beings have been a blight upon our precious Earth, for all time, only through_ sacrifice_ can we hope to restore the natural equilibrium, and heal the scars of our Earth.'" Joe read off to Phil. "_Sacrifice_, Phil." Joe emphasized.

"They could just mean a carbon tax, or taking shorter showers or something." Phil pointed out.

Joe gave him an incredulous look. "This webpage sounds exactly like the note that Frank was left, this cannot be a coincidence, we need to figure out where they are keeping Frank, and we need to do so pronto. Because I'm thinking they are going to want a little bit more from him than promising to recycle or something."

"There's another part to the website but it appears to be locked," Phil muttered thoughtfully.

"Can you hack it?" Joe asked hopefully.

"Maybe," Phil mused. "Give me a couple minutes."

They sat in silence for slightly less than a half an hour while Phil did a series of complicated computer related things which Joe could not even begin to comprehend.

"I've got it." Phil said triumphantly.

"What does it say?" Joe demanded.

"Union Members, the time is upon us; we shall finally bring resolution for the Earth's pain, through the sacrifice of Frank Hardy, the current chosen one, concurrently with the sacrifice of Nancy Drew, descendent of the original chosen one. At precisely midnight we shall commence with this operation. Come to the place where the Earth finds its peace in this small town where the chosen one calls home." Phil said his brow furrowing as he read it.

"Come to the Earth where the Earth finds its peace in the small town where the chosen one calls home," Joe repeated. "So, they're still in Bayport, but where is it that you think that the 'earth finds its peace?'"

"Well, it can't be in the main part of the city, because I doubt these guys think houses, or restaurants, or any kind of development brings peace to the Earth." Phil replied.

"They would also want to be somewhere somewhat remote where they would be unlikely to be caught, which rules out anywhere close to houses or the like, making it unlikely that they are in a forest preserve, or a park, plus this strikes me as fairly gloomy affair…" Joe trailed off. "They're in a cave!"

"But which one?" Phil inquired. "Do you know how many caves there are on the cliffs over by the bay?" He continued.

"They'll want a fairly large one, and if I'm correct they will chose one high up," Joe mused. "What time is it?" He asked suddenly.

"Eight o'clock," Phil replied.

"Fuck." Joe said eloquently. "We need to get out of her quickly, there's not much time left before they decide that it's time to off Frank and Nancy."

-Story Break-

"It is time for the ceremonial bath," Johansson announced walking back into the cavern where Frank and Nancy were being held followed by a group of black cloaked individuals.

"No thanks." Frank replied.

"It was not a choice." His former teacher remarked. "The bath is for purification, you, Chosen One, will be escorted by several Union members to one room, while you, Descendent of The Original One, will be escorted in the same way to a separate room, you will bathe under the supervision, and you will do so with proper respect for the purification rites, if you do not do it properly, they will be more than happy to do it for you."

Frank and Nancy both shuddered at the thought.

Johansson gestured to several of the cloaked members to untie them. They both were immediately surrounded, and forcibly escorted out of what they could now see was a cave, or rather a series of caves, Frank was led to a room directly to the right of their original holding place, while Nancy was taken to a room on the left.

An old metal tub had been provided for his use as well as some obviously homemade soaps. He was directed to strip and begin thoroughly purifying himself. Frank did so only to avoid being forced to do so by his captors. After he finished to their satisfaction, he was given a white tunic, and plain white pants to wear.

They escorted him back his original holding place, and forced him to lie back down on the alter, Nancy was already there and similarly clad. Frank was once more tied down.

Johansson was still present in the room; he had evidently been awaiting their return. "You have three hours remaining until the ritual begins, your sacrifice concludes at midnight. The Union thanks you for your noble contribution to the Earth's welfare."

-Story Break-

"We need to rescue Frank." Joe repeated.

"Normally, I'd be with you on this one hundred percent," Phil replied. "But at the moment we are not exactly in the position to do that, you are not up to full strength, and my arm is broken, and most of our group is horribly out of commission, I know you want to rescue Frank yourself, but I think this time we need to call your dad and the police and let them rescue him." Phil had found that in their group of friends he was often the one called on to be the voice of reason and this was one such situation.

Joe looked stubborn for a moment, but only a moment. "I hate it when you're right." He said finally. "Pass me my cell phone, will you?"

**A/N Review! Update will be out very soon assuming that you review, of course. **


	17. The End!

**A/N Hello, everyone! I apologize for the long wait, but I have returned with the final installment of this story. **

**Thanks to all Reviewers!**

**Dedication: To everyone who has read and reviewed this story during the time it has been in progress.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

"The ceremony shall begin in the next hour," Johansson proclaimed.

Frank and Nancy had been moved to the main cavern, and made to lie down on two new altars, located on a central dais. They were not tied down because their sacrifice was meant to be performed willingly; although neither of them was actually willing they would merely be overpowered if they attempted to escape.

There were around twenty black cloaked individuals in the room all of whom seemed to be eagerly anticipating the "noble sacrifice for the Earth," that Frank and Nancy were going to be forced into.

What Johansson did not know however, was that the Bayport police force was waiting just outside the cave's entrance, planning to storm inside and release Frank and Nancy.

"However, I believe we can begin with the opening speech right now." Johansson continued moving past Frank and Nancy to stand in front of the rows of black robed people. "We are gathered here today to right the wrongs which have plagued the Earth for centuries, hopefully the joint sacrifice of the Chosen One, and the descendent of the original Chosen One will lead to a lasting peace on this Earth."

Frank, who had lifted his head, spotted Con Riley peering around the entrance to the cave. Con gestured for Frank and Nancy to roll off the altars carefully on his count.

When they saw him gesture for them to move, they immediately rolled off the altars, just as a swarm of police rushed in the room.

They lay flat on the ground as Johansson and the other followers shouted in outrage. Frank and Nancy were immediately surrounded by officers and hustled out of the room before any of the crazed followers had a chance to turn it into a hostage situation.

Fenton Hardy was waiting for them just outside the mouth of the cave. He swiftly pulled his son into a hug. "Are you both all right?" He demanded. "The chief wanted me to sit this out so I waited out here." He explained.

"We're fine." Frank hastened to reassure his father. "What is going on with everyone else?"

"On a positive note it seems that everyone will survive," Fenton answered levelly. "Callie is pretty injured, as is Vanessa, but when I left the hospital their prognoses had shifted to cautiously optimistic."

Frank heaved a sigh of relief. "Can we get to the hospital?"

"The chief will want to take your statements, but I suppose he can do it there as well as any other place." Fenton said with a nod. "Nancy, please call your father he is absolutely frantic with worry." He added.

"Of course," Nancy agreed. "I will call him as soon as we get to the hospital."

"Good." The private detective commended. "Are you both quite sure you're all right?"

"Yes, dad, we're fine." Frank exclaimed.

**-Two weeks later-**

Nancy had returned to River Heights, and everyone else had been released from the hospital. They were gathered at Mr. Pizza's for a celebratory dinner. Phil's arm was still in a cast, and Callie was on crutches as her left leg had been broken when the car hit her, and the rest of the group was also looking rather ruffled around the edges, but they were undeniably in one piece.

"I can't believe you managed to get yourself in trouble without even being on a case," Callie said leveling her boyfriend with a look of two parts fondness, one part irritation.

"It seems that trouble constantly finds me," Frank agreed. "I still can't believe our own teacher was behind it." He said sharing a look of disgust with Vanessa and Phil.

"That does explain the orange mock though," Phil mused.

"Huh?" Biff asked, his voice still slightly raspy from the damage that had been done to his windpipe.

"They left flowers with each of us," Phil explained. "Mine was an orange mock, which symbolizes deceit, Mr. Johansson deceived all of us, especially Frank, Vanessa, and I."

"It's enough to put me off flowers permanently." Callie said with a shudder.

"I guess we'll just need to stick to chocolates from now on in the gift department," Vanessa said with a wink at her boyfriend.

"Is that a hint?" Joe inquired breezily.

Vanessa merely laughed and leaned across the tabletop to catch her boyfriend's lips in a chaste kiss.

Things were finally returning to normal in Bayport, New York, although knowing the Hardy family it was not likely that they would stay that way for long.

**A/N Review! Thank you to everyone who has read this story during the long time it has been on-going.**


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